systematic; regular; routine
gun; cannon; artillery; ordnance
faulty maintenance; poor maintenance; inadequate maintenance
area of expertise; (one's) field; (one's) line
control of the air; air supremacy
all-weather; weather-proof
enjoyment; pleasure; diversion; amusement; hobby
advance party; advance team; advance group; vanguard unit
to be extremely difficult; to present a major challenge
fleeting; transient; short-lived; empty (dream, etc.); mere (hope); faint (possibility)
to be ill; to suffer from; to worry about; to be concerned about; to have trouble doing ...; to be unable to ...
telephone call; phone call; telephone (device); phone
do-or-die resistance; resistance to the bitter end
perhaps; maybe; perchance; by some chance; by any chance
(a) touch of; tinge of; wreath (e.g. of smoke); one stroke; one brush
breaking off; snapping off
to break; to snap; to be injured; to wear out; to be worn out; to break; to burst
weird; ominous; eerie; uncanny; ghastly
to leak out (a secret); to be exposed (a lie, improper behaviour, etc.); to be found out; to get away (of fish)
to feel around for; to fumble for; to investigate; to probe into; to explore (parts unknown); to enjoy (natural beauty)
thoughtless; reckless; rash; excessive; unreasonable; immoderate
to ascertain; to check; to make sure
strongish; somewhat strong
sparse; thin; scattered; straggling; sporadic
to abate; to weaken; to be emaciated; to be dejected; to be perplexed
kind; sort; type; similar example; parallel; the like
waiting time; latency; standby time (e.g. cellular phones); queueing time
talk; story; conversation
discussion; deliberation; thought; opinion
calmness; composure; presence of mind; stability; steadiness
extinction; extermination; eradication; stamping out; wiping out
on countless occasions; many a time
to live through; to survive
bold; shameless; cheeky; brash; impudent
to unite; to join; to do together; to confuse with
impossible; unlikely; improbable
to take advantage (of somebody's weaknesses, carelessness, etc.); to impose on